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ROTARYDOWNUNDER.ORG | 37 |
CC
Future Club Confidential
topics will include:
• Member engagement
• Securing
sponsorships
• Building community
engagement
• Running great meetings
(of different types)
• Rotary club PR
To submit articles (200
words) and photos or
to provide ideas for
future topics email
clubconfidential@
rotarydownunder.com.au
New members pour into
Rotary Club of Balwyn
Tony Thomas
Rotary Club of Central Melbourne-Sunrise, Vic
On recruitment success, the Rotary Club of Balwyn in Melbourne, Vic, is showing
how it’s done. In July 2014 the club had 46 members after eight retired during
the year, but by the end of September 2015, membership had grown to 72.
The club has set a target of reaching 100 members by July 2016, and this
target is not vapour-ware – the club has a pipeline already of a dozen or more
potential members.
President Anthea Rutter says the success is due to membership development
director Stan Gawel, but Stan says he’s got plenty of great helpers.
Stan has been with the club for only 18 months. His business is the tough
game of wine wholesaling, and before that, retail banking around the state.
“Getting members is a sales exercise, and the Rotary club is your product,” he
says. “Get off your chair, target suitable people and make the sale face-to-face.
Everyone says it’s difficult, but I say, ‘Have you ever asked anyone?’”
To illustrate the importance of face-to-face contact, Stan tells how the club
divided the suburb into four zones and letter-boxed them with 3000 flyers. The
number of inquiries: zero.
“Most Rotarians are uncomfortable about sales, but they should be brave
and sell the benefits, like giving back to the community, friendship, and a lively
social program. Be upfront about the expense; Rotary isn’t cheap. And when
prospects say they’re too busy raising kids, it’s a cop-out. Our best recruits are
the busiest people.
“Club member George Skandalellis and I cold-called heaps of small businesses
around Balwyn last month, and that’s getting us four likely members, additional
to five business owners recruited earlier. We also asked all the businesses to be
gift sponsors for our Christmas raffle, and that got us $2500 worth of raffle
prizes – all for just two hours’ work.”
Most of the club’s 18 recruits last year are female, improving the female ratio
to 30 per cent.
“But our pipeline is 10 prospective guys, so we got our ladies together recently
and asked them to keep the female ratio going by bringing a girlfriend to our
special membership night on October 27.
“Our cold calls were largely to male-owned businesses, but this month we’re
going with a lady member and targeting female-owned businesses.”
The club has upgraded its website, Facebook and social media, and Stan says
three to four members came in last year that way.
“I’m targeting right now an insurance chap who’s on the committee of a key
sports club. If I can win him over, he’s likely to bring others in from his club.”
Even the club’s guest speakers can become recruits. “We’ve converted one
and potentially two more,” Stan says.
Stan is also on the Fathers’ Association of Genazzano College, Kew, and
reckons there are five to six prospects there. One may join when the school year
ends in November.
The club helps many charities, and Stan says it’s no crime to suggest the
executives join up. Another tactic is to try to convert some of the club’s Friends
of Rotary pool into members.
“Whatever works, go for it!”
Wine wholesaler Stan Gawel, of the Rotary
Club of Balwyn, Vic, pours a blind-tasting for
retired Victorian politician George Cox.